List of governors of Minnesota facts for kids

The official seal of Minnesota.

The governor of Minnesota is like the top leader for the state of Minnesota. They are in charge of the state's executive branch, which means they make sure state laws are followed.

So far, 41 people have served as governor of Minnesota. One of them, Rudy Perpich, was governor more than once, but not right after each other. Before Minnesota became a state, it was a territory, and it had three governors chosen by the President of the United States. The first of these, Alexander Ramsey, later became a state governor too.

The current governor is Tim Walz. He is part of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and started his term on January 7, 2019.

Leaders of Minnesota: A Look at the Governors

Governors of Minnesota Territory

Minnesota became a territory on March 3, 1849. This means it was a part of the United States but not yet a full state. The governors of the territory were chosen by the U.S. President.

Governors of Minnesota Territory

No.	Governor		Time in Office	Appointed by
1		Alexander Ramsey (1815–1903)	June 1, 1849 – April 1, 1853	Zachary Taylor
2		Willis A. Gorman (1816–1876)	April 1, 1853 – March 13, 1857	Franklin Pierce
3		Samuel Medary (1801–1864)	March 13, 1857 – May 24, 1858	James Buchanan

Governors of the State of Minnesota

Minnesota officially became a state on May 11, 1858. The Minnesota Constitution of 1858 set up the jobs of governor and lieutenant governor. At first, they were elected separately for two-year terms. In 1963, their terms were changed to four years. Since 1974, the governor and lieutenant governor run for election together as a team.

Governors of the State of Minnesota

No.	Governor			Time in Office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor
1			Henry Hastings Sibley (1811–1891)	May 24, 1858 – January 2, 1860	Democratic	1857		Holcombe, WilliamWilliam Holcombe
2			Alexander Ramsey (1815–1903)	January 2, 1860 – July 10, 1863 (resigned)	Republican	1859		Donnelly, Ignatius L.Ignatius L. Donnelly
						1861		Swift, Henry AdoniramHenry Adoniram Swift
3			Henry Adoniram Swift (1823–1869)	July 10, 1863 – January 13, 1864	Republican	Became governor from lieutenant governor	Vacant
4			Stephen Miller (1816–1881)	January 13, 1864 – January 8, 1866	Republican	1863		Sherwood, Charles D.Charles D. Sherwood
5			William Rainey Marshall (1825–1896)	January 8, 1866 – January 7, 1870	Republican	1865		Armstrong, Thomas H.Thomas H. Armstrong
						1867
6			Horace Austin (1831–1905)	January 7, 1870 – January 9, 1874	Republican	1869		Yale, William H.William H. Yale
						1871
7			Cushman Kellogg Davis (1838–1900)	January 9, 1874 – January 7, 1876	Republican	1873		Barto, AlphonsoAlphonso Barto
8			John S. Pillsbury (1827–1901)	January 7, 1876 – January 9, 1882	Republican	1875		Wakefield, JamesJames Wakefield
						1877
						1879		Gilman, Charles A.Charles A. Gilman
9			Lucius Frederick Hubbard (1836–1913)	January 9, 1882 – January 5, 1887	Republican	1881
						1883
10			Andrew Ryan McGill (1840–1905)	January 5, 1887 – January 9, 1889	Republican	1886		Rice, Albert E.Albert E. Rice
11			William Rush Merriam (1849–1931)	January 9, 1889 – January 4, 1893	Republican	1888
						1890		Ives, Gideon S.Gideon S. Ives
12			Knute Nelson (1843–1923)	January 4, 1893 – January 31, 1895 (resigned)	Republican	1892		Clough, David MarstonDavid Marston Clough
						1894
13			David Marston Clough (1846–1924)	January 31, 1895 – January 2, 1899	Republican	Became governor from lieutenant governor	Vacant
						1896		Gibbs, John L.John L. Gibbs
14			John Lind (1854–1930)	January 2, 1899 – January 7, 1901	Democratic	1898		Smith, Lyndon A.Lyndon A. Smith
15			Samuel Rinnah Van Sant (1844–1936)	January 7, 1901 – January 4, 1905	Republican	1900
						1902		Jones, Ray W.Ray W. Jones
16			John Albert Johnson (1861–1909)	January 4, 1905 – September 21, 1909 (died in office)	Democratic	1904
						1906		Eberhart, Adolph OlsonAdolph Olson Eberhart
						1908
17			Adolph Olson Eberhart (1870–1944)	September 21, 1909 – January 6, 1915	Republican	Became governor from lieutenant governor	Vacant
						1910		Gordon, Samuel Y.Samuel Y. Gordon
						1912		Burnquist, Joseph A. A.Joseph A. A. Burnquist
18			Winfield Scott Hammond (1863–1915)	January 6, 1915 – December 30, 1915 (died in office)	Democratic	1914
19			Joseph A. A. Burnquist (1879–1961)	December 30, 1915 – January 5, 1921	Republican	Became governor from lieutenant governor	Vacant
						1916		Frankson, ThomasThomas Frankson
						1918
20			J. A. O. Preus (1883–1961)	January 5, 1921 – January 7, 1925	Republican	1920		Collins, Louis L.Louis L. Collins
						1922
21			Theodore Christianson (1883–1948)	January 7, 1925 – January 7, 1931	Republican	1924		Nolan, William I.William I. Nolan
						1926
						1928		Adams, Charles EdwardCharles Edward Adams
22			Floyd B. Olson (1891–1936)	January 7, 1931 – August 22, 1936 (died in office)	Farmer-Labor	1930		Arens, Henry M.Henry M. Arens
						1932		Solberg, Konrad K.Konrad K. Solberg
						1934		Petersen, HjalmarHjalmar Petersen
23			Hjalmar Petersen (1890–1968)	August 22, 1936 – January 4, 1937	Farmer-Labor	Became governor from lieutenant governor	Vacant
24			Elmer Austin Benson (1895–1985)	January 4, 1937 – January 3, 1939	Farmer-Labor	1936		Lindsten, GottfridGottfrid Lindsten
25			Harold Stassen (1907–2001)	January 3, 1939 – April 27, 1943 (resigned)	Republican	1938		Anderson, C. ElmerC. Elmer Anderson
						1940
						1942		Thye, Edward JohnEdward John Thye
26			Edward John Thye (1896–1969)	April 27, 1943 – January 8, 1947	Republican	Became governor from lieutenant governor	Vacant
						1944		Anderson, C. ElmerC. Elmer Anderson
27			Luther Youngdahl (1896–1978)	January 8, 1947 – September 27, 1951 (resigned)	Republican	1946
						1948
						1950
28			C. Elmer Anderson (1912–1998)	September 27, 1951 – January 5, 1955	Republican	Became governor from lieutenant governor	Vacant
						1952		Nelsen, AncherAncher Nelsen
								Wright, Donald O.Donald O. Wright
29			Orville Freeman (1918–2003)	January 5, 1955 – January 4, 1961	Democratic- Farmer-Labor	1954		Rolvaag, KarlKarl Rolvaag
						1956
						1958
30			Elmer L. Andersen (1909–2004)	January 4, 1961 – March 25, 1963	Republican	1960
31			Karl Rolvaag (1913–1990)	March 25, 1963 – January 2, 1967	Democratic- Farmer-Labor	1962		Keith, SandySandy Keith
32			Harold LeVander (1910–1992)	January 2, 1967 – January 4, 1971	Republican	1966		Goetz, James B.James B. Goetz
33			Wendell R. Anderson (1933–2016)	January 4, 1971 – December 29, 1976 (resigned)	Democratic- Farmer-Labor	1970		Perpich, RudyRudy Perpich
						1974
34			Rudy Perpich (1928–1995)	December 29, 1976 – January 1, 1979	Democratic- Farmer-Labor	Became governor from lieutenant governor		Olson, Alec G.Alec G. Olson
35			Al Quie (1923–2023)	January 1, 1979 – January 3, 1983	Independent- Republican	1978		Wangberg, LouLou Wangberg
36			Rudy Perpich (1928–1995)	January 3, 1983 – January 7, 1991	Democratic- Farmer-Labor	1982		Johnson, MarleneMarlene Johnson
						1986
37			Arne Carlson (b. 1934)	January 7, 1991 – January 4, 1999	Independent- Republican	1990		Dyrstad, JoanellJoanell Dyrstad
						1994		Benson, JoanneJoanne Benson
38			Jesse Ventura (b. 1951)	January 4, 1999 – January 6, 2003	Reform/ Independence	1998		Schunk, MaeMae Schunk
39			Tim Pawlenty (b. 1960)	January 6, 2003 – January 3, 2011	Republican	2002		Molnau, CarolCarol Molnau
						2006
40			Mark Dayton (b. 1947)	January 3, 2011 – January 7, 2019	Democratic- Farmer-Labor	2010		Solon, Yvonne PrettnerYvonne Prettner Solon
						2014		Smith, TinaTina Smith (resigned January 2, 2018)
							Vacant
								Fischbach, MichelleMichelle Fischbach (took office May 25, 2018)
41			Tim Walz (b. 1964)	January 7, 2019 – Incumbent	Democratic- Farmer-Labor	2018		Flanagan, PeggyPeggy Flanagan
						2022

More About Minnesota's Government

• List of Minnesota gubernatorial elections
• List of lieutenant governors of Minnesota
• First ladies of Minnesota
• List of Minnesota state legislatures